Beneath Still Waters
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: There are unseen depths to the man who runs the CSI day shift.


**This re-posting comes as a Valentine present to my faithful readers. I trust your day has been pleasant and full of love and affection.**

**Fondly, **

**Lieutenant Caine**

**Beneath Still Waters**

It always began as a sense of urgency to act without thinking, to respond impulsively on a very basic, primal level. Had he given in to the need, he would have been fired long ago, for his ingrained sense of justice would have pushed him to administer swift, brutal retribution to the criminal minds he came in contact with day after day. When he felt the beginnings of this relentless drive, he settled more firmly into that cloak of faultless self-discipline he was famous for, trusting years of practiced control to carry him through. His treatment of the ruffians they dealt with became nothing if not more noticeably calm. He was overcompensating.

Calleigh felt more than saw his inner turmoil; felt it in the invisible waves of tension that radiated from him; heard it in the increasing darkness of his normally whiskey smooth voice; saw it in the icy control he held over himself. She had always been able to sense him. There were times when she knew he was near without even seeing him, times she reached for her cell phone to answer before it ever rang, knowing it would be his voice on the other end. And so now she suffered with him, bound to him by some unexplainable force that connected the two of them. She found herself making excuses to be near him, hoping that her presence would calm the tumult that seethed just below the surface of his calm exterior.

Horatio understood what she was doing and appreciated it; knew she was offering him a lifeline, but also knew that he couldn't fully grasp that lifeline for fear of what it would do to her. _Calleigh. _Ironically the mere thought of her, while it soothed him, also enflamed his senses. This brilliant, vibrant woman had entered his life 5 years ago and had completely captivated him. Not a day went by that he didn't welcome, cherish, even crave her smile and her intelligence. There were times he felt driven to be near her, just to soak in the sound of her lilting voice. And then there were his dreams. He felt his body respond automatically to the remembered passion of his dreams and immediately slammed the door shut on those thoughts. He was her mentor, and as such had no right to feel that way about her.

Battered on two fronts, both work and personal, he was beginning to lose his grip by slow, agonizing increments.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

During a routine interrogation, Horatio startled both Frank and the suspect when he slammed his palm down on the desk, leaned across the glass expanse within inches of the man's face and snarled. "You turn my stomach! Frank, get this creep out of here before I lose my cool." Horatio's face was contorted and his voice livid.

"Dude!" was the man's terrified response. He was face to face with towering fury and it sent chills down his spine.

Frank shot Horatio a concerned look as he snapped cuffs on the man and led him out of the room.

Immediately Horatio felt drained and exhausted. He ran one hand through his hair, and felt the other clench spasmodically on the butt of his 9mil. The weight on his soul was growing heavier and heavier and he had to fight the urge to lash out. Too much crime, too much filth, too much of the dregs of human society had almost broken him. Desperately he forced himself to re-focus, to draw deep calming breaths, to search for that pool of sanity that ran deep within his being. His back was still turned to the door and his eyes closed tightly when he heard someone come into the room. _Calleigh. _His mind and body both responded overwhelmingly and he had to compose himself before he turned to face her.

"Hey," he greeted her with a small measure of restored control.

"Hey, yourself." She stood dangerously close to him, her green eyes searching his blue ones. "Heard you had a rough sit down with our guy. You okay?" Her concern was almost his undoing.

"I'm fine, Calleigh," he said smoothly, the mask of professionalism locking into place as he spoke.

But Calleigh had seen the raging inferno of emotion in his eyes just before the shutters closed again and she found herself looking into the cool calm gaze of Lt. Horatio Caine.

"Horatio, I…" she stopped as he shook his head slightly.

For a long moment he allowed himself to hungrily take in the image she presented, and then he turned and walked away. His entire being cried out for the relief her presence offered, but he denied himself in his effort to protect her. He knew if he ever gave in to his need, it would consume both of them. He couldn't do that to her, wouldn't do that to her. And so he suffered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Weeks drug on and Horatio retreated farther and farther into himself. He often worked late into the night, leaving only after everyone else from the day shift had gone home for the evening. The quiet and solitude of CSI headquarters at night was his only solace.

With a weary sigh, he closed the file he was reading and leaned back in his chair, stretching back muscles that were cramped and aching. The clock read 9:30, and he realized just how tired he was. His motions were automatic, robotic even as he put away the files and closed up for the night. He draped his jacket over his shoulder and turned out the light, then stepped out into the hall. His eyes strayed to her office, long silent and dark for the night. _Calleigh _his mind whispered with longing and he groaned. Drawing in a ragged breath, he felt the last of his control slipping from his grasp. _Calleigh, I need you so._

Without actually realizing what he was doing, he found himself moments later in the Hummer, driving toward her home. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he fought valiantly to hold the clamor of his senses to a dull roar. _Calleigh, I need you desperately._ His mind clung to the thought of her…his lifeline, rejected before, but sought after now. When he turned the corner and pulled into her drive, he felt relief crash over him when he saw the lights still on inside. With hands almost shaking, he put the Hummer in park, killed the engine and stepped out. His heart trembled in his chest as he walked to the front door and rang the doorbell.

The first thing he noticed when Calleigh opened the door was the succession of emotions that played over her beautiful face when she saw him standing there. Surprise, concern, care, and _love?_

"Horatio? Come in. What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Her voice wrapped around his soul and drew him to her like a moth to a flame.

"Calleigh, I'm not really sure why I'm here, but I…" the effort at keeping things professional was tearing him apart. What he desperately wanted was to drown in her eyes, crush her lips to his and feel the warmth of her body ease the raging need inside.

He hadn't trained her to be the crack CSI she was for nothing. Her sharp eyes saw the struggle on his face and knew immediately why he had come to her door in the middle of the night even if he wasn't ready to admit it. For so long she had willingly offered herself to him, and here he was needing her, but still afraid to reach out and take what she wanted so desperately to give him.

"Horatio you came here tonight because you needed something from me. Take it, Horatio. Take it and let me calm this need that's been driving you for so long." Her voice was soft and inviting and her eyes held promise.

Not daring to believe what he was hearing, he tentatively placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.

"Calleigh," his breath came in ragged gasps. His chest was heaving as he clung to the one last thread of control he possessed. "Calleigh, if I let go, I don't think I can control this."

"I'm not afraid of that, Horatio. You need this. Take it…Take me. I'm yours."

With a groan ripped from the very depths of his soul, he pulled her into his arms, and smothered her lips in a hungry, ravenous kiss. He felt like a starving man who is suddenly been placed in front of a banquet table. He couldn't get enough of her intoxicating taste. He rained rough, needy kisses on her face, her lips, her neck, all the while almost whimpering with the intensity of what he was feeling. His hands ran over her body, exploring, touching, molding her closer to him and feeding the need to possess her. It was as though he was trying to consume her all at once and satisfy the terrible aching inside him.

"Calleigh," he gasped, coming up for air between kisses, "I can't control this, I need you completely, totally, now." His voice was hoarse with desire.

"Take me, Horatio. Ease the wanting." Calleigh's voice trembled with answering passion.

Swiftly he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the living room. He laid her on the couch and followed her down. He drank deeply from her lips again, this time probing them apart with his tongue and feeding from the sweet nectar of her mouth. Then his mouth left hers to trail hot, wet kisses along her neck, stopping only when he encountered the collar of her blouse. With trembling fingers he undid the buttons, shoving the material aside in haste. When his hands went around her back to undo the clasp of her bra, she arched toward him to help speed the process. Finally she was bared to his ravishing eyes.

"God, Calleigh, you are so beautiful," he muttered thickly.

He cupped her breasts in his hands, stroking and kneading, his thumbs tracing tight circles over the taut, straining nipples. Lowering his head, he feasted on first on and then the other, nuzzling and suckling hungrily. He was acting on pure primal need, a need beyond words. He moved farther down her body, devouring her satiny smooth skin with his lips and tongue until he came to the waistband of her jeans.

Calleigh gasped in pleasure as she struggled to process the sensations that were pouring through her body. His hands, his lips, the sweet torment of his body pressing so intimately against hers had her spinning in mindless ecstasy, overwhelmed by his desperate hunger for her.

Horatio kissed his way back up her body, stroking her with his tongue and leaving a glistening trail of moisture across her skin. His lips worshipped hers again while his hands were busy with the button of her jeans. The zipper was next and he quickly, almost roughly slid his hand inside, skimming below the waistline of her panties to find heated, welcoming wetness. He stroked in deeply with his fingers and felt her buck up against him, his name spilling from her lips.

"Calleigh, so eager, so ready," he groaned.

His movements were frantic, graceless as he shoved the denim jeans down her legs and off into the floor. The he kissed her quickly and sat up. All finesse gone, he ripped his own shirt open, mindless of the buttons that flew across the room. He sent the shirt flying to land in a heap on the floor. The rest of his clothing suffered a similar fate.

Calleigh watched in breathless anticipation. She knew he would not be gentle; knew this would be total possession of her body by the man who had claimed her mind and heart long ago; knew he was too hungry to be easy with her. Her body tingled in response to the thought of being taken by Horatio. She wanted this as much as he did.

Stretching himself back over her, Horatio reclaimed her mouth in a deep, possessive kiss. Calleigh moaned as desire swept through her in waves, each one more dizzying than the last. She felt him raise his hips above hers, and heard his voice, choked with need as he groaned her name.

"Calleigh, I can't hold back," and he plunged into her with one savage thrust. He buried his face against her neck, his teeth marking the sensitive skin in an attempt to keep from spiraling out of control. "Sweetheart, I don't want to hurt you, but…" he ground out between clenched teeth as he struggled to control the burning need that urged him to simply let go and satisfy the hunger driving him.

"Let go, Horatio. I'm yours." Calleigh whispered softly to him, her eyes bright with desire that matched his.

Her words snapped the slender thread holding him back and he began to thrust deeply, pulling completely out of her, and driving back in with the full strength of his finely toned body. With weeks of pent up need and hunger driving him, he rode her roughly, conscious only of the burning need to lose himself in her. Vaguely he felt Calleigh moving with him, matching his brutal strokes with a frenzied rhythm of her own. Her voice fell dimly on his ears as she cried his name and her body went taut, arching against him in the throes of a massive climax. The sensation of her clenching tightly around him and the writhing of her slender body beneath his pushed him over the edge and with one more savage stroke, he poured himself into her, shuddering and gasping out her name. Strength left him in a rush, replaced by languid relaxation that had him totally supported by her limp, exhausted form. Somehow conscious of his crushing weight on her, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled them both to the side, arms and legs tangled together as they both slowly came down from the breathtaking height of passion.

Her warm breath tickled his chest as she lay cuddled against him and he felt as well as heard her soft sigh. His lips pressed soft kisses against her temple and he murmured, "Are you okay, Calleigh?" His arms held her tenderly as if to make up for the rough way he'd taken her just moments before.

She moved her head to look up into his eyes. They were clear now without the haunted, hungry look he'd had for so long. "I'm fine, Horatio. No worries. Are you okay?" She smiled at him and traced her finger lightly over his lips.

He seemed to consider this, drawing within for some seconds and then he answered her truthfully, "Calleigh, I don't know how to describe how I feel right now. Physically, I'm content, sated even, but it shames me to know that I…that I…" he stumbled with the word to describe what he'd just done to her, even though he knew Calleigh was a more than willing participant in their passionate encounter.

"Shhh, Handsome. You did nothing to me that I haven't wanted you to do and you haven't needed to do for so long now. We both needed it. Don't take that away from us. I'm fine. Let yourself be fine too, Horatio. And please…please don't shut me out anymore. I love you." Her words silenced his self-incrimination and brought a gentle smile to his face.

"Not a chance of me shutting you out anymore, Sweetheart. I need you too much, and what's more, I love you Calleigh." He kissed her gently and then pulled back when a huge yawn threatened to split his face.

Calleigh laughed delightedly and reached behind him for the quilt she kept folded over the back of the couch. He helped her drape it over their entwined bodies and then snuggled her closer to his chest and reached above her to turn out the table lamp beside the couch. Darkness settled around them, soft and comforting and they both relaxed into each other's arms. Just before she slipped into dreams, Calleigh whispered again, "I love you, Horatio." His arms tightened around her fractionally and then he too was lost in sleep.


End file.
